Igniter mechanism for explosive-engines.



E. A; JOHNSTON. IGNITEB MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APPLI MIOK FILED JAN. 12, 1911.

Patented May 30, 1911.

35' finger; and Fig.

' ED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. JOHNSTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL HAR- VESTER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

' IGNITER MECHANISM. FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911."

Application filed January 12, 1911. Serial No. 602,137.

16 and in particular to that class commonly calle'd make and break, wherein the electrodes are first brought in contact with each other and'then quickly separated, and consists in means for adjusting the tripping 1.5 mechanism in a manner w'hereby the time at which the'electric spark "is ,produced may be varied during the operation of the engine; the object of my invention being to provide a mechanism having few parts, one that may be conveniently manipulated, and one thatv will be efiicient in operation. These objects are attained by means of the mechanism illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents-a side elevation of part of an engine cylinder having my improved igniter tripping mechanism connected therewith;-Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 SO-the tripping mechanism and showin the position of the movable and fixed electrodes during the make and break contact period;

- Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the man- ,ner of adjusting the throw of the tripping adjusting screw and its associated retaining 'means.

The same reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

1 represents an engine cylinder, 2 an ig-' niter plug secured to the sides of the cylinder by means of cap screws 3, a carrying and fixed electrode 4, and a rocking electrode 5 of common form and having their contact points 6 within the explosion chamber of the cylinder, as shown by means of dotted lines in Fig. 2. Y

7 represents an; arm mounted upon the outer end of the rocking electrode and adapt- "ed to have a limited independent rocking movement thereon, said arm being held yieldingly in a direction, to cause the electrode to rock in a" direction to separate the contact points by means of a coil spring 8 surrounding the stem of the electrode and -a commonway.

outward from the plug within the path of is a side elevation of part of is a top plan view of the having one end engaging a fixed part of the engine and its opposite end with said arm in A stop lug 9 pro ects the arm and is adapted to limit the rocking movement thereon in'one direction.

10 represents bracket integral with the plug'member 2, and 11 a stud secured to its upper end.

12 represents a swinging arm having its upper end journaled upon the stud 11 and tending ear members 13 spaced apart in a manner to receive between them a tripping finger 14 -thatis adapted to rock about a cross pin 15 passing through-the ears and finger intermediate the ends of the latter.

an upwardly extending its lower end provided with downwardly ex- The forward end of the tripping finger 1s adapted to engage with arm and is held yieldingly ina direction to engage therewith bymeans of a pressure spring 16-operative between a forwardly projecting ear 17 integral with the swinging arm and the back of the finger. Y

18 and 19 represent rearwardly pro ecting ears integral with the swinging-arm at its upper an lower ends, respectively, and 20 a regulating screw threaded at its upper portion in a manner to be adjustable through car 18 and having its lower end adapted to contact with the rear end of the tripping finger 14, the upper end of the screw being provided with a disk-like head 21 provided with teeth upon its periphery with which a spring-pressed radiallymoving plunger 22,

mounted in a barrel 23, is adapted to engage in a manner to yieldingly retain the screw in any desired position of adjustment.

24 represents a reciprocating trip operating rod having one end pivotally connected with i the pin 15, and its opposite end with an eccentric 25 secured to an operative shaft 26 forming part of the engine mechanism, the rod being adjustable in length by means of its threaded portions and jam nuts 27 in the usual manner. I

. In operation the trip rod is given a continuous reciprocatory movement from the half speed shaft and transmits a forward and backward movement to the' swinging arm, causing the tripping finger 'to engage with the arm of the movable electrode and rotate the latter in a manner to bring the contact points together, and a further swing .9 the swinging arm 12 by means of irate, the til 131011 and the making of th 2. being controlled by the p in which the tripping finger rennn contaet with arm 7, and that eri; verned by means of the regulating screw, which may be manipulated in a manner to swing the operative end of the tripping fin er toward or from the axis of them bke electrode and thus vary the time oif its tee from engagement with the arm. 1

illnit i claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

An iguiter mechanism for internal combustion engines-including, in combination, a

. plug carrying a hired and a rocking electrode, a bracket member integral'with said plug, aswinging arm having one end pivotally connected with said bracket, itsopposite end provided with longitudinally extending ear portions spaced apart, a tripping trode, laterally extending earportions upon theopposite side of said arm and at oppositeends thereof, an adjusting screw received by said lastnamed ea'r portions and engaging with the opposite end of said fin-- gelj, and a'reciprocatory rod having one end pivot-allyco'nnected with said arm coa-xially with said tripping finger and its opposite end operatively connected with a .moving' part of the engine. EDWARD A. JOHNSTON. Witnesses: v i v A. A. JONES,

L. E. Hons'rois. 

